Wind-wheel



(NoModel.)

' C. M. CONRADSON.

WIND WHEEL. No. 264,930. Patented' Sept. 26, 1882.

N. PETERS. Phubulhugmpmr. waminglan. n.0

H l F1 G1 Fly. l.

W 'mluw i thereby reducing the power available.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @Trice CONRAD M. CONRADSON, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

WIND-WH EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,930, dated September 26, 1882.

l Application tiled September 27, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD M. CoNRADsoN, of Madison, in the county ot' Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills, ot' which the following is a specitication.

The principal object ot' my invention is to insure the wind-wheel being kept at a n"right angle to the pointfrom which the wind blows, and when the wind changes to automatically change the position ot' lheVwind-wheel so it shall face the wind at all times.

In wind-wheels or windmills asheretot'ore constructed, employing bevel-gears, the wheel tends to roll out of the direct line of the wind, To remedy this defect it is necessary to lock the mill in position. A Consequently the constant changes in the directionot the wind strain the mill and gearing. These and other objections are i'ully overcome by my invention,wh ich consists in the construction,combination, and arrangement of double or two sets ot' bevelgears connected with opposite sides of the vertical tubular shafts, whereby the thrust of the driving gear or pinion is counterbalanced, and by means of pawls and ratchets the wheel is free to turnjwith the wind, so as to l'ace the same direct and at all times; and it tui-ther consists in the employment ot' a vane connect ed by levers and gearing, or other suitable devices connected with the wind-wheel shat't, to automatically change the plane or direction of the wind-wheel to correspond with the changes in the direction ot' the wind, whereby the position ofthe wind-wheel is kept constantly in line with the direction ot' the wind, or facing atf a right angle to Vthe point from which it blows, however frequently it may change from one point to another; and it further consists in details ot' construction, hereinafter more fully described and set forth. I

Figure l represents a vertical central section of the windmill-gearing constructed ac cording to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view ot the automatic mechanism for changing the position of the wind-wheel to correspond with the changed direction of the wind. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of one of the pawl-and-ratchet mechanisms connected with the bevel-gears for imparting a rotary motionto the concentric hollow shafts in opposite directions. Fig. 4 represents a detail in elevation of the loose a'ild sliding collars connected with the disengagingwire devices.

A represents a suitable cast-iron supportframe for the wind-wheel, which is secured to the outer end of the shaft B, which has suitablejournal-bearings in said frame A, the lower end ot' which is adapted to tit over and turn upon the conical` vertical projecting hub C, formed centrally upon the horizontal circular geared rack-plate D, the upper end of said frame A being provided with a suitable vertical journal-bearing, which receives the upper end ot' the inner vertical hollow shai't E, and

below which bearing is secured to said hollow shaft E the plate F, provided with two or more pawls, G, which are caused to engage with teeth H upon the interior of the vertical flange I, formed upon the top or back of the bevelgear J, fitted loosely upon said vertical hollow shaft E by means ot' suitable springs n, as shown in Fig. 3.

To the inner end ot' the horizontal windwheel shaft B is secured the bevel-gear K, which gears or meshes with the loose bevelgear L, ltted upon the upper end of the outer hollow shaft, M, and provided upon its back or lower side with a vertical ilange, I', having teeth H', into which the pawls G', secured to the top of the plate F', which plate is secured to the said outer hollow shalt, M, engage by means of suitable springs, as before described,

`thus revolving the said hollow shaftsE :and M in opposite directions when the wind-wheel shat't B is rotated in the desired direction but it revolved in the opposite direction `the said pawls will slipv backward over the said ratchet-teeth, and thereby permitthe said vertical hollow shafts E and M to remain stationary.

It will be observed that when one pawl is engaged with a tooth of the ratchet the 0pposite pawl is midway between two teeth and drops into Contact with the next tooth when the gear or wheel has moved halt' the distance of the length or pitch of the tooth. Other pawls may be employed to still further reduce the space through which one or more engage, by which means the ratchetteeth may be IOO formed large and few in number and the desired strength obtained, and yet retain the equivalent of a large number of teeth.

I secure a bevel-gear wheel,N, at about midlength, or atthe point desired, upon the horizontal wind-wheel shaft B, which gear-wheel N is arranged to gear with the bevel-gear O upon the upper end of the short vertical shaft P, which shaft is ljournaled within the auto matic adjustable frame R, the upper end of which is pivoted to the support-frame A, so it may be moved through a small or shortarc about said pivot, and thereby bring the small pinion S, secured upon the lower end of the short vertical shaft P, into gear with one or the other of the circular racks T or U upon rack-plate D by means of the horizontal connecting-rod V, one end of which is pivoted to the lower end of thtgI vibrating frame B, its opposite end being pivoted to the outer end of the short arm Q, secured to the vertical standard Z, pivoted in the horizontal extension-bar VV, extending from the conical socket-bearing of the frame A, to the said vertical standard Z being secured the horizontal vibrating vane Y. It will be seen that when the wind is blowing at a right angle withthe face of the windwheel the small pinion S is free to revolve between the two circular racks T and U without engaging with either; butshould the wind suddenly change the vane'Y will be acted upon so as to force the said pinion S into gear with one or the other of said circular racks T or U,

as the case may be, when the wind-wheel will be brought around until it faces the wind squarely. Then the vane Y assumes a position in line with the direction of the wind, and the pinion S is thrown out of gear again, thus automatically changing the position of thewiudwheel to correspond with the variations or changes in the direction ofthe wind.

It will be seen that when the vane Y operates rod V so as to cause pinion S to engage with either rack T orU it traverses thesame a short distance, or until the wind-wheel upon shaft B is brought around into line with the vane Y or parallel to the same plane, when the pinion S, through the action of rod V, is

disengaged from said rack T or U, asthe casel may be, and is free to revolve between the same again.

Beneath the rack-plate D extends an iron bracket-support, A2, provided with ahorizontal journal-bearing to support the horizontal driving-shaft B2, its outer end being provided with a crank, (J2, or a pulley, D2, and its inner end with a bevel-gear, E2, whichengages with a bevel-gear, F2, secured to the lower end of the outer hollow shaft, M, and tothe inner hollow shaft, E, is secured a bevelgear, G2, which engages with the lower side or bottom of the bevel-gear E2, and having a bearing upon the lower end of the bracket-support A2,

hollow shaft E, just below its bearing in-the bracket-support A2, a sleeve, H2, which is provided with a slotted opening or hole passing diametrically through it, and within this hole is fitted a short bar or key, J2,which is free' to move up and down therein, and to this key or bar J2 is secured the disen a in -wire e,which passes upward through the hollow shaft E, and connected with levers, as heretofore, to stop the wind-wheel, as usual. This key or bar J2 extends outward or has each end securedv to the loose ring I2, which tits over the socket or sleeve H2, and above whichl loose ring 12 is placed nthe loose ring K2, and having a bearing thereon, and provided with screw-holes at opposite sides, and into which pass the screws t', which pass through the upper ends of the loop or bail L2, to the lower portion ot' which is attached the disengaging wire or cord e, and passing downward to the ground outside of the solid vertical shaft N2,whch has its upper end rmly secured within the said sleeve H2, its lower end being provided with suitable gears for the communication of power and motion, as heretofore.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with the horizontal windwheel shaft B, having the bevel-gear K, the two concentric shafts E and M, provided with the loose bevel-gear J, having ilange I, provided with teeth H, and bevel-gear L, having iiange I', provided with teeth H', whereby the wind-wheel is adapted to change its position to correspond with the direction of the wind, substantially as described, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a windmill, the combination of the vane Y, eonnectin g-rod V, pivoted arm It, bevelgears N and 0, vibrating rotary shaft P, having pinion S, and the concentric rack-bars T and U, substantially as described, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a windmill, the combination, with the vertical hollow shaft E, having the disengaging-wire e, of the slotted sleeve H2, bar or key J2, loose rings 12 and K2, and the loop or bail L2, provided with a disenga'ging wire or cord, e', and the solid shaft N2, substantially as de.- scribed, as and for the purposes set'forth.

v CONRAD M.GONRADSON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. SHELTON, JOHN THOMPSON.

IOO

IOS

IIO 

